Rodion Cămătaru

Rodion Cămătaru
Personal information
Full name Rodion Gorun Cămătaru
Date of birth (1958-06-22) 22 June 1958
Place of birth Strehaia, Romania
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1970–1974 Progresul Strehaia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1974–1986 Universitatea Craiova 289 (122)
1986–1989 Dinamo București 89 (76)
1989–1990 Charleroi 29 (6)
1991–1993 Heerenveen 71 (26)
Total 478 (230)
International career
1978–1990[1] Romania 74 (21)
1979 Romania University
Medal record
Representing  Romania
World University Games
Bronze medal – third place 1979 Mexico City Team Competition
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Rodion Gorun Cămătaru (Romanian: [rodiˈon kəməˈtaru]; born 22 June 1958) is a Romanian former professional footballer who played as a striker.

Club career

Universitatea Craiova

Cămătaru was born on 22 June 1958 in Strehaia, Romania and began playing football in 1972 at local club Progresul.[2] Two years later he went to play for Universitatea Craiova, making his Divizia A debut on 10 November 1974, aged 17 under coach Constantin Cernăianu in a 1–1 draw against CFR Cluj.[2][3] He spent twelve seasons with Universitatea, being part of the "Craiova Maxima" generation that won two consecutive league titles in 1980 and 1981.[2][4][5] He was the team's top-scorer in both, as in the first he netted 17 goals in the 26 appearances gave to him by coach Valentin Stănescu and in the second he scored 23 in the 33 matches under coach Ion Oblemenco.[2][4][5] He also won the Cupa României four times, playing in all the finals, opening the score in the 3–1 win against Olimpia Satu Mare in the one in 1978 and he netted a brace in the 2–1 victory over Politehnica Timișoara in the 1983 final.[2][6]

Cămătaru played 37 games and scored six goals for "U" Craiova in European competitions.[2] In the first round of the 1979–80 UEFA Cup he netted a brace that helped the team get past Wiener Sport-Club.[2][7] In the following round he played in both legs of the 4–0 aggregate win over Leeds United, thus Universitatea became the first Romanian club that eliminated a team from England in European competitions.[7][8] Afterwards, they reached the quarter-finals of the 1981–82 European Cup after eliminating Olympiacos and Kjøbenhavns Boldklub, Cămătaru scoring once against the latter, being eliminated with 3–1 on aggregate by Bayern Munich.[2][4][9] He made nine appearances in the 1982–83 UEFA Cup campaign when they reached the semi-finals, being eliminated by Benfica on the away goal rule after 1–1 on aggregate.[2][4][10] At one point he was heavily criticized by journalist Eugen Barbu in the Informația Bucureștiului newspaper, Cămătaru, in turn called the article "a blasphemy".[11] However, after the 0–0 in the first leg of the semi-final against Benfica in which Cămătaru was all over the field helping the defense, midfield and offense, Barbu wrote another article called:"M-ai învins, Rodioane!" (English:"You defeated me, Rodion!").[11]

During his time with The Blue Lions, he received offers to play abroad.[12] The first came from Fiorentina after the Italians got eliminated by them in the 1982–83 UEFA Cup but Romania's communist regime did not allow the transfer.[12] The second opportunity arose in 1985 when he went on a trial at Benfica.[12] He played for them in a friendly against Porto, making a good impression.[12] However, shortly afterwards, he suffered an injury that kept him off the field for six months, leading the Portuguese club to choose not to transfer him.[12]

Dinamo București

In 1986, he was transferred to Dinamo București, where he became the Divizia A top-scorer and European Golden Boot winner in his first season at the club with 44 goals netted in 33 games.[4][13][14] However, as he scored 26 goals in the last nine matches of the season, his European Golden Boot was revoked after FIFA investigations claimed the goals were unfairly scored and the trophy was awarded to Anton Polster but Cămătaru was allowed to keep his copy of the trophy.[4][13][14] In 1987 he was nominated for the Ballon d'Or, and during the 1980s he was also on five occasions in the top five of the Romanian Footballer of the Year award, two times being ranked third.[15][16][17] He played 10 matches and scored once for Dinamo in the European Cup Winners' Cup over the course of three seasons.[2] Most notably in the 1988–89 campaign he was used by coach Mircea Lucescu in all six games as The Red Dogs reached the quarter-finals where they were eliminated on the away goals rule after 1–1 on aggregate by Sampdoria.[2][18] On 14 June 1989, Cămătaru made his last Divizia A appearance in Dinamo's 5–1 win over Bihor Oradea, totaling 378 matches with 198 goals scored in the competition.[2]

Charleroi

In 1989 he went to play in Belgium for Charleroi.[2][4] He made his Belgian First Division debut on 16 August 1989, with coach Eric Vanlessen using him for the full 90 minutes in the 3–0 home win over Mechelen.[19][20] On 21 January 1991 he netted his first goal in a 1–1 draw against the same opponent.[19] Over the course of a year and a half, Cămătaru made 29 appearances for Charleroi in the Belgian league, scoring six goals.[2]

Heerenveen

The final spell of his career was at Heerenveen in Netherlands where for a while he was teammate with compatriot Ioan Andone.[2][4][21] He made his Eredivisie debut on 27 February 1991, under coach Fritz Korbach who played him for the entire match in a 1–0 home loss to Twente.[22][23] On 2 March he scored his first goal for Heerenveen in a 1–0 home win over MVV Maastricht.[22][24] The team was relegated at the end of his first season but Cămătaru stayed with the club for two more seasons in the second league.[2] He scored his last goal as a professional in the 1992–93 KNVB Cup final, which was lost with 6–2 to Ajax Amsterdam.[2][4] In 2020 with the occasion of Heerenveen's 100th anniversary, Cămătaru was selected the best striker in the club's history in front of Ruud van Nistelrooy and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.[25][26]

International career

Cămătaru played 73 matches and scored 21 goals for Romania, making his debut on 13 December 1978 under coach Ștefan Kovács in a friendly that ended with a 2–1 loss to Greece.[27][28] He played two games in the Euro 1980 qualifiers, then scored one goal in the 4–1 victory against Yugoslavia in the second leg of the 1977–80 Balkan Cup final.[27]

Cămătaru played six games and scored two goals in the successful Euro 1984 qualifiers, including one against goalkeeper Thomas Ravelli after a long pass from Costică Ștefănescu and a 30 meters run in a 1–0 win over Sweden at the Råsunda Stadium.[3][27][29][30][31] Afterwards he was used by coach Mircea Lucescu in all three matches in the final tournament which were a draw against Spain and losses to West Germany and Portugal in Romania's group stage exit.[27][32]

He played six games and scored three goals in the 1986 World Cup qualifiers, including a spectacular one at the Wembley Stadium against goalkeeper Peter Shilton in a 1–1 draw against England.[3][27][29][30][33] In the following years, Cămătaru played four games in the Euro 1988 qualifiers and made five appearances in the successful 1990 World Cup qualifiers, netting a double against goalkeeper and Bulgaria captain Borislav Mihaylov in a 3–1 away victory.[27][34] He was also part of the squad that participated in the final tournament where coach Emeric Jenei did not use him in any games.[3][4][27][35] Cămătaru's last appearance for the national team was in the Euro 1992 qualifiers, scoring Romania's goal in a 2–1 loss to Scotland.[27]

For representing his country at the 1990 World Cup, Cămătaru was decorated by President of Romania Traian Băsescu on 25 March 2008 with the Ordinul "Meritul Sportiv" – (The Medal "The Sportive Merit") class III.[36][37]

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year.[27]
National team Year Apps Goals
Romania 1978 2 0
1979 3 0
1980 7 2
1981 6 2
1982 6 2
1983 10 3
1984 7 1
1985 8 3
1986 6 2
1987 4 0
1988 7 4
1989 5 0
1990 3 2
Total 74 21
Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Cămătaru goal.[27]
List of international goals scored by Rodion Cămătaru
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 6 June 1980 Stade du Heysel, Brussels, Belgium  Belgium 1–0 1–2 Friendly
2 27 August 1980 Stadionul 23 August, Bucharest, Romania  Yugoslavia 2–0 4–1 1977–80 Balkan Cup
3 25 March 1981 Stadionul 23 August, Bucharest, Romania  Poland 1–0 2–0 Friendly
4 15 April 1981 Københavns Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark  Denmark 1–0 1–2 Friendly
5 14 April 1982 Gradski stadion, Ruse, Bulgaria  Bulgaria 1–1 2–1 Friendly match
6 1 May 1982 Stadionul Corvinul, Hunedoara, Romania  Cyprus 2–0 3–1 Euro 1984 qualifiers
7 2 February 1983 Olympic Winner Crown Prince Constantine, Larissa, Greece  Greece 2–1 3–1 Friendly
8 3–1
9 9 June 1983 Råsunda Fotbollsstadion, Solna, Sweden  Sweden 1–0 1–0 Euro 1984 qualifiers
10 29 July 1984 Stadionul 23 August, Iași, Romania  China 2–0 4–2 Friendly
11 3 April 1985 Stadionul Central, Craiova, Romania  Turkey 2–0 3–0 1986 World Cup qualifiers
12 3–0
13 11 September 1985 Wembley Stadium, London, England  England 1–1 1–1 1986 World Cup qualifiers
14 23 April 1986 Stadionul 1 Mai, Timișoara, Romania  Soviet Union 2–1 2–1 Friendly
15 8 October 1986 Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, Israel  Israel 3–1 4–2 Friendly
16 20 September 1988 Stadionul 1 Mai, Constanța, Romania  Albania 3–0 3–0 Friendly
17 19 October 1988 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria  Bulgaria 2–1 3–1 1990 World Cup qualifiers
18 3–1
19 23 November 1988 Stadionul Municipal, Sibiu, Romania  Israel 1–0 3–0 Friendly
20 21 May 1990 Stadionul 23 August, Bucharest, Romania  Egypt 1–0 1–0 Friendly
21 12 September 1990 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland  Scotland 1–0 1–2 Euro 1992 qualifiers

Honours

Universitatea Craiova

Dinamo București

Heerenveen

Romania

Individual

Notes

  1. ^ Original 1986–87 season winner Rodion Cămătaru (with 44 goals) was disqualified later and the trophy was awarded to Polster in 1990. However, Cămătaru was allowed to keep his copy of the trophy.

References

  1. ^ "Rodion Gorun Camataru – Goals in International Matches". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Rodion Cămătaru at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
  3. ^ a b c d "Rodion Cămătaru a vorbit despre cele mai importante goluri ale sale. Ce ratare i-a marcat existența" [Rodion Cămătaru spoke about his most important goals. What a miss marked his existence] (in Romanian). Libertatea.ro. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Rodion Cămătaru împlineşte azi 63 de ani. Presa italiană aminteşte de aniversarea lui "Cami": "I s-a anulat Gheata de Aur, câştigată la ordinul lui Ceauşescu"" [Rodion Cămătaru turns 63 today. The Italian press remembers the anniversary of "Cami": "His Golden Boot was canceled, because it was won at the order of Ceausescu"] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Romania National Champions". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Romanian Cup – Season 1976–1977". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
    "Romanian Cup – Season 1977–1978". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
    "Romanian Cup – Season 1980–1981". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
    "Romanian Cup – Season 1982–1983". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Rodion Cămătaru. UEFA Cup 1979/1980". WorldFootball. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  8. ^ "38 de ani de la o performanță senzațională! Universitatea Craiova, prima echipă din România care elimina o grupare din Anglia" [38 years since a sensational performance! Universitatea Craiova, the first team in Romania to eliminate a group from England] (in Romanian). Orangesport.ro. 7 November 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
    "Au trecut 43 de ani de la Leeds United – Universitatea Craiova 0-2. Amintirile lui Aurel Beldeanu: "M-au aplaudat și englezii". Exclusiv" [43 years have passed since Leeds United – Universitatea Craiova 0-2. Aurel Beldeanu's memories: "The English applauded me too." Exclusive] (in Romanian). Fanatik.ro. 7 November 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  9. ^ "Romania National Champions". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
    "Rodion Cămătaru. Champions League 1981/1982". WorldFootball. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Cămătaru a dat verdictul după 37 de ani de la ratarea calificării Științei în finala Cupei UEFA:"Conducerea a pierdut meciul. A făcut greșeli impardonabile!"" [Cămătaru gave the verdict after 37 years since the failure of the Science qualification in the UEFA Cup final:"The management lost the match. He made unforgivable mistakes!"] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  11. ^ a b "6 aprilie 1983: Benfica - Craiova 0-0 (M-ai invins, Rodioane)" [April 6, 1983: Benfica - Craiova 0-0 (You defeated me, Rodion)] (in Romanian). Romaniansoccer.ro. 6 April 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
    "Poveștile anilor '80" [The stories of the 80s] (in Romanian). Tikitaka.ro. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Rodion Cămătaru #65. Povestea neștiută a meciului pe care Cami l-a jucat pentru Benfica, în 1985, la un turneu la care a participat și Dinamo" [Rodion Camătaru #65. The unknown story of the match that Cami played for Benfica in 1985, in a tournament in which Dinamo also participated] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 22 June 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  13. ^ a b c "Golden Boot ("Soulier d'Or") Awards". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Romanians You Should Know: Rodion Camataru".
    "RETRO GSP. 33 de ani de când Cămătaru a început cursa grotescă pentru "Gheata de Aur": 26 de goluri în 9 meciuri, doar cu Steaua n-a marcat" [RETRO GSP. 33 years since Cămătaru started the grotesque race for "Golden Boot": 26 goals in 9 matches, only with Steaua he didn't score] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 3 May 2020. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
    "Der unglaubliche Camataru (in German)". Archived from the original on 5 August 2009. Retrieved 1 October 2008.
  15. ^ a b Pierrend, José Luis (1 February 2006). "European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1987". RSSSF. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Romania - Player of the Year Awards". Rsssf.org. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Dumitru Macri, primul fotbalist român nominalizat la Balonul de Aur! Gică Hagi, aproape de succes în 1994" [Dumitru Macri, the first Romanian footballer nominated for the Golden Ball! Gica Hagi, almost successful in 1994] (in Romanian). Fanatik.ro. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  18. ^ "Dinamo, reunire cu gandul la Sampdoria" [Dinamo, reunited with the fought at Sampdoria] (in Romanian). Jurnalul.ro. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
    "Rodion Cămătaru. Cup Winners Cup 1988/1989". WorldFootball. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Rodion Cămătaru. Belgian First Division 1989/1990". WorldFootball. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  20. ^ "RSC Charleroi - KRC Mechelen 3:0". WorldFootball. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  21. ^ "Imagini memorabile. Andone şi Cămătaru s-au întâlnit cu un fost coleg de la Heerenveen" [Memorable pictures. Andone and Cămătaru met with a former colleague from Heerenveen] (in Romanian). Orangesport.ro. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Rodion Cămătaru. Eredivisie 1990/1991". WorldFootball. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  23. ^ "Heerenveen - FC Twente 0:1". WorldFootball. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  24. ^ "Heerenveen - MVV 1:0". WorldFootball. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  25. ^ "Un atacant pentru un secol de istorie. Rodion Cămătaru, ales cel mai bun "vârf" al lui Heerenveen:"A fost extrem de iubit - uriașul prietenos!"" [A striker for a century of history. Rodion Cămătaru, chosen the best "striker" of Heerenveen:"He was extremely loved - the friendly giant] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  26. ^ "Rodion Cămătaru a împlinit 62 de ani! Cum a încercat Steaua să-i blocheze transferul la Dinamo şi meciul care l-a făcut să plângă. Video" [Rodion Cămătaru is 62 years old! How Steaua tried to block his transfer to Dinamo and the match that made him cry. Video] (in Romanian). Fanatik.ro. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "European Football". Rodion Cămătaru. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  28. ^ "European Football". Greece 2-1 Romania. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  29. ^ a b "Rodion Cămătaru, dezvăluire șocantă după 32 de ani:"La Mondialul din 1990 s-a făcut echipa în funcție de interes! Mi-au spus în față"" [Rodion Cămătaru, shocking revelation after 32 years:"At the 1990 World Cup, the team was made based on interest! They told me to my face"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  30. ^ a b "Noi nu i-am uitat! Cine a fost Radion Cămătaru?" [We have not forgotten them! Who was Radion Cămătaru?] (in Romanian). 100sport.ro. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  31. ^ "Noaptea albă de pe Rasunda" [The white night on Rasunda] (in Romanian). Welovesport.ro. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
    "European Football". Sweden 0-1 Romania. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  32. ^ "Generația EURO 84, chemată la raport după turneul final. "Ne-a spus că am jucat sub orice critică! Credeam că vine șeful și ne curăță"" [EURO 84 generation, called to report after the final tournament. "He told us we played under any criticism! I thought the boss was coming and cleaning us up."] (in Romanian). Playsport.ro. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
    "Povestea României la primul Euro, din 1984: am lăsat Italia acasă! Fără niciun stelist, cu cel mai tânăr selecţioner pe bancă şi debutul lui Hagi la un turneu final la doar 19 ani" [Romania's story at the first Euro, from 1984: we left Italy at home! Without any Steaua player, with the youngest coach on the bench and Hagi's debut at a final tournament at only 19 years old] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 6 June 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
    "EURO 1984: România intră "pe marile bulevarde ale fotbalului". 33 de ani de la golul lui Boloni cu Italia, surprizele lui Lucescu pentru EURO" [EURO 1984: Romania enters "the great boulevards of football". 33 years since Boloni's goal against Italy, Lucescu's surprises for the EURO] (in Romanian). Adevarul.ro. 16 April 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  33. ^ "RETRO GSP. 35 de ani de când Lucescu remiza pe Wembley cu trei jucători de la Corvinul, locul 8 în campionat, și cu numai doi de la campioana Steaua" [RETRO GSP. 35 years since Lucescu drew at Wembley with three players from Corvinul, the 8th place in the championship, and with only two from the champion Steaua] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
    "29 aprilie, o zi cu trei rezultate mari, care însă n-au dus la nimic" [April 29, a day with three big results, which, however, did not lead to anything] (in Romanian). Welovesport.ro. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
    "European Football". England 1-1 Romania. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  34. ^ "European Football". Bulgaria 1-3 Romania. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  35. ^ "European Football". Bulgaria 1-3 Romania. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  36. ^ "DECRET privind conferirea Ordinului și Medaliei Meritul Sportiv" (PDF). Monitorul Oficial al României Nr. 241. 28 March 2008. p. 3. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  37. ^ "Decorarea unor personalități ale fotbalului românesc". Administrația Prezidențială. 25 March 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  38. ^ "Balkan Cup 1977–80". European Football. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
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